Citizen Science Comes to a School Board Near You…

Posted February 5, 2013

You may be familiar with some of the “citizen science” programs in which non-scientists like us can contribute our observations of things in nature to the real scientists.  For them it’s like having thousands of researchers out in the field gathering data. So we thought it might be fun to start our own citizen science […]

Another Spring Thing

Posted January 29, 2013

Today, while studying Biodiversity with a Gr 6 class from Sheppard PS, we came across an Earthworm making its way across the top of the snow! It was moving slowly, but it was very much alive. The temperature at the time was about 1C and there was not any bare ground to be found, as […]

First Robin!!

Posted January 28, 2013

That’s right – January 28th and I’ve seen my first American robin. Bob Fraser of the Ancient Mariners Canoe Club – creators and custodians of the new Cambridge Pollinator Preserve – stopped in at the Blair Outdoor Education Centre today. While checking out the bird feeders, Bob heard a sound he thought might be a […]

Sundog

Posted January 25, 2013

A Sundog is a phenomenon that occurs when sunlight is scattered through ice crystals in wispy clouds.  Sometimes you get a halo around the sun, or a couple of lines of light shooting up on either side of the sun.  This is what www.atopics.co.uk has to say on the subject… “Sundogs, sometimes called Sun Dogs, Parhelia […]

Casualties of the Cold

Posted January 24, 2013

The cold is taking it’s toll on some of the birds at Blair and perhaps in backyards around the region.  Although they are hardy and well adapated to winter conditions, mortality is high at this time of year.  Yesterday it was a common redpoll, today a goldfinch found frozen at or near the feeders. In […]

It’s How Cold?

Posted January 22, 2013

We’re experiencing a cold snap in southern Ontario right now, and I guess we shouldn’t complain since it’s been another relatively mild winter to date.  I would love to have more snow – lots more – but days like today that combine arctic air with a gusty wind can make it mighty uncomfortable being out […]

Big Property Year!

Posted January 21, 2013

As you may recall, at the end of 2011 Sean and I decided to keep a tally of the number of bird species that each of us could detect at our respective place of work during the 2012 calendar year. I started off my 2012 with American Crow, while Sean began the count with Hairy […]

Getting your Wordsworth

Posted January 15, 2013

Here are a couple of poems written by students in the enrichment program while they were at Laurel Creek.  Good stuff. Forest Stillness surrounds me. The river calls to me. The ground caresses me. The trees come to life. The vacant sky stares down at me. Everything is peaceful. … by Bianca, grade 6 Please […]

Cooper’s Hawk

Posted January 11, 2013

We had another great raptor sighting at the Blair Outdoor/Environmental Education Centre yesterday (see Barred Owl as well).  A grade 4 class was visiting from Dickson Public School studying Habitats and Communities.  We observed some great birds over the course of the day – common redpolls, red-breasted nuthatch, and red-bellied woodpecker (hmmm, that’s a lot […]

Grade 1’s are Great

Posted January 11, 2013

Late last fall a number of Grade 1 classes visited the the Blair OEE Centre studying Needs and Characteristics of Living Things, and Daily and Seasonal Changes.  Our focus was on winter birds as living things and how they adapt to the seasons. I try to introduce the outdooredguys blog to classes each day, and […]

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